Beet-harvester.



W. STINSON.

BERT HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED 0013,1910.

1 1,004,156; Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

um/Mow 751/101: 15 52715022,

W. STINSON.

BEET HARVBSTER.

APPLICATION 11,121) 0013,1910.

1,004, 1 56. Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

Z'BHBBTS-BHBET 2.

Quorum COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 50.- WASMINGTDN. D- C.

WILLIAM STINSON, OFPIPESTONE, MANITOBA, CANADA.

BEET-HARVESTER.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, .1911.

Application filed October 3, 1910. SerialNo. 585,139.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM STINSON, a

subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at Pipestone, in theProvince of Manitoba and DOIl'llIllOn of Canada, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to beet harvesters.

It has for its object to provide a simple and efficient machine wherebythe beets after being topped by suitable means provided for the purpose,shall be lifted from the ground and carried to a conveyer, whereby theyare conveyed to a box or receptacle.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being understood, however, that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theinvention may be resorted to, when desired.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a top plan View of a machine constructed inaccordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,partly in section; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional detail viewillustrating the topping mechanism; Fig. 4 is a perspective detail viewshowing a portion of the lifting wheel.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

A suitable frame comprising longitudinal side bars 1, 1, 2, 2, and 3, 3,and a front bar 4 is supported adjacent to its front end upon a guidingtruck 5 having wheels 6 and adjacent to its rear end upon an axle 7having ground wheels 8, said axle being supported for rotation insuitable bearings upon the longitudinal frame bars. Supported forrotation in suitable bearings in rear of the axle is a counter-shaft 9having pinions 1O meshing with spur wheels 11 upon the axle, adjacent tothe ground wheels.

Adjacent to the front end of the main frame, bearings are provided for atransversely disposed shaft 12 having a beveled pinion 13 meshing with abeveled pinion 14 which slidably engages a non-circular shaft 15 forwhich suitable bearings are provided to support said shaft in anapproximately vertical position. The shaft 15 is provided, adjacent itslower end, with horizontally disposed cutting blades 16 havingupstanding flanges 17 adjacent their rear edges. A collar 19 which isswiveled upon the upper end of the shaft 15 is connected by a link 20with one arm 21 of a bell-crank lever L which is fulcrumed upon theframe, and by manipulating which, the shaft 15 may be verticallyadjusted through the beveled pin-,

ion 14 with which it may be connected for rotation at the desiredelevation by means of a set screw 22. It will be understood that priorto such adjustment the set screw 22 is to be loosened therebydisengaging the pinion 14 from the fixed relation to said shaft in whichit is held by the action of the set screw. WVhile the set screw isloosened the bevel pinion 14 is in a measure supported upon the bevelpinion 13,and the shaft 15 may now be adjusted vertically through thepinion by proper manipulation of the bell crank lever L. After theproper adjustment has been effected, the set screw 22 is again tightenedso as to secure the pinion 14 in fixed relation to the shaft 15.

The frame bars 1 are provided with pairs of uprights 23 forming guidesfor vertically slidable boxes 24 wherein a shaft 25 is supported forrotation, said shaft carrying the lifting wheel B. Connected with thebox 24, at each end of the shaft 25, is one end of a flexible member,such as a chain 23, the other end of which is connected with a drum orshaft 24 which is supported for rotation adjacent to the upper ends ofthe uprights 23, said drum or shaft having a hand wheel 25 whereby itmay be conveniently rotated for the purpose of elevating or lowering theboxes wherein the shaft carrying the lifting wheel is supported. Pawland ratchet means, indicated at 26', may be used for the pur pose ofsustaining the lifting wheel in any position to which it may beelevated. The rim 26 of said lifting wheel is provided with flanges 27between which are supported a plurality of buckets 28, the outer edge ofeach of which is provided, about midway between the flanges 27, with aV-shaped notch 29.

A shaft 30 is supported for rotation upon the side bars of the mainframe in rear of the lifting wheel and said shaft is provided withsprocket wheels 31 which are connected by chains 32 with sprocket wheels33 upon the shaft 25 of the lifting wheel. The shaft 30 also carriessprocket wheels 34 which are connected by chains 35 with sprocket wheels36 upon the counter-shaft 9. The pinions 10 upon the counter-shaft 9 areadapted to be connected for rotation with said countershaft by means ofclutches 37 including members which are adapted to be actuated byshipping levers 38 for the purpose of throwing the machine into or outof gear.

Pivotally supported upon the shaft 30 in rear of thelifting wheel is aconveyer frame C carrying, adjacent to its upper end, a shaft or drum 40which is supported for r0 tation. An endless conveyer of suitableconstruction, and including chains 41 and slats 42 is guided over theshafts 3O and40, deriving motion from the shaft 30. The bot- -tom of theconveyer frame is preferably formed of wire netting to constitute ascreen through which dirt adhering to the beets may escape. The rear endof the conveyer frame is guided between uprights 46 rising from theframe of the machine, said uprights supporting a shaft 47 having a crank48 whereby it may be rotated, and pinions 49 meshing wit-h arcuate rackbars 50 upon the conveyer frame, which may thus be raised or lowered tovarious positions. Pawl and ratchet means 51 of ordinary well knownconstruction are to be employed to support the conveyer frame at variouspositions.

The shaft 30 carries a sprocket wheel 43 which is connected by a chain44 with a sprocket wheel upon the shaft 12 through which motion may thusbe transmitted to the topping device.

Suitably supported upon the main frame of the machine, below andadjacent to the rear end of the conveyer frame, is a box or receptacle52 for the purpose of receiving the beets which are discharged over theconveyer. Said receptacle is preferably sup ported in such a manner thatit may be readily tilted for the purpose of discharging its contents, asupporting shaft being indicated at 53, and a latch device at 54. It isobvious, however, that the box or receptacle may be mounted to tilt inany desired direction.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of the invent-ion will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which the samerelates. As the machine is drawn over the field, the

tops of the beets are detached and thrownto one side by the toppingblades supported upon the shaft 15, and the lifting wheel will dig intothe ground causing the beets to be engaged by the notches 29 and to beseated in the buckets whereby they are lifted and discharged upon theendless conveyer over which they are dumped into the box or receptacle52.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a wheel supported frame, anda lifting wheel supported for rotation and including a rim havingflanges and buckets extending between said flanges and having Vshapednotches in their front edges midway between the flanges.

2. In a beet harvester, a main frame having supporting wheels andguiding wheels, bearing boxes supported for vertical adjustment, a shaftsupported for rotation in said boxes, a lifting wheel upon the shaft,said wheel being provided with a rim, flanges extending outwardly at theside edges thereof and buckets supported upon the rim between theflanges and having notched front edges; and means for transmittingmotion from the supporting wheels to the lifting wheel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM STINSON. WVitnesses:

C. WooDoooK, HUGH MAOINTYRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

